The passing of Ray Liotta at age 67 came as a shock to fans and the entertainment industry. The Emmy winner’s death led to an outpouring of tributes and condolences from those in Hollywood, including his Shades of Blue co-star Jennifer Lopez. After starring in the NBC police drama for three seasons, the entertainer decided to pay tribute to her late co-star with a touching message.
For three seasons, Lopez and Liotta shared a father/daughter-like relationship as Harlee Santos and Matt Wozniak on the crime drama. That relationship translated off-screen as the Marry Me actress took to her Instagram to tell the world more about the man behind mafioso classics. The multi-hyphenate hit the right note by revealing the more personable side of the movie tough guy.
The first thing that comes to mind is he was so kind to my children. Ray was the epitome of a tough guy who was all mushy on the inside … I guess that’s what made him such a compelling actor to watch.
Juxtaposing the real man to his tough-guy characters proved what a true thespian Liotta was. Knowing how kind he was to Lopez’s children drove that home. But the entertainer wasn’t done speaking about her late co-star as an actor. The actress recalled what it was like working with and learning from the character actor as a screen partner.
We shared some intense moments on set those three years! When I first heard he took the job on Shades of Blue, I was thrilled, and the first time we walked on set to do our first scene together there was an electric spark and a mutual respect, and we both knew this was going to be good. We enjoyed doing our scenes together and I felt lucky to have him there to work with and learn from.
Learning from and working with an actor of his caliber would help anyone step up their game. Thankfully, the Hustlers actress and the Hollywood vet had instant chemistry on the NBC crime drama. That chemistry paid off as she touched on how his humanity made him such a great actor while bidding farewell to the Goodfellas actor.
Like all artists, he was complicated, sincere, honest and so very emotional. Like a raw nerve, he was so accessible and so in touch in his acting and I will always remember our time together fondly. We lost a great today … RIP RAY … it’s so sad to lose you what seems way too soon … I will remember you always.
Lopez’s words spoke to the person she got to know while sharing the screen for three years. You can see some of her special moments with Liotta by checking out her Instagram post below.
The pop singer wasn’t the only former co-star to acknowledge Liotta’s passing. His Field of Dreams co-star Kevin Costner paid tribute by sharing a BTS moment about their famous baseball scene from the film. His response came on the heels of condolences and touching messages from friends and co-stars like Seth Rogen, Lorraine Bracco, and Rosanna Arquette.
At the time of his death, the Many Saints of Newark actor was working on the film Dangerous Waters. The late actor will be seen next in the Apple TV+ series Black Bird, which is set to premiere in July. You can check out our 2022 TV schedule for more of what's on the way. To watch all three seasons of Shades of Blue, you can subscribe to Amazon Prime.
